numbers and realizations
by Pannacotta
Summary: AU. After all those years, maybe, just maybe, it's time for me to move on. slight SasuSakuGaa. dedicated to my wavering faith in SasuSaku.


AN: This idea just popped in my head while I was taking my bath. How weird is that? And by the way, it's my first story for Naruto. Please be nice.

* * *

After all this time, it's finally getting less difficult to see you.

* * *

"Class dismissed. Don't forget to study the joints of the appendicular and axial skeleton. We're going to have a long quiz on them before we start the lesson on tuesday."

After five _hellish_ hours of learning the skeletal system, both appendicular and axial, in Human Anatomy and Physiology, I feel like going to my dorm and locking myself in until next week. Actually, make it until the_ next month_! Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury since I still have 3 hours with Professor Kabuto, my oh-so-wonderful (note the sarcasm) professor for Physiology lab class.

Great.

Add in Professor Orochi-lovestomolestboysintheclassroom-maru and everything will be perfect! Just perfect.

I must be desperate for a break if I'm wasting my time thinking about those bastards. I should start finding a decent meal in the cafeteria if I want to survive this day.

And oh look! There's Kakashi-sensei, my Lit Prof with...

...

Uchiha Sasuke.

The Campus Heartthrob.

The Ace student in Business Management.

_My EX-boyfriend_.

With the Hanazawa Karin, the Campus Queen (*cough*biatch*cough*), glued to his left arm.

Fantastic.

As Kakashi-sensei moves away from the couple, the Uchiha sees me, standing alone at the entrance of the cafeteria and everything seems to stop. The noise suddenly disappears and everything seems to focus on us.

Well, damn you, Uchiha, for asking me to be your girlfriend in the same spot where I'm standing. Alone. Right now. As of this moment.

...

I think I need help.

Spotlight, go away!!

And screw you, Karin! Stop smirking!

Really now. This is so typical. Ex sees girl. Crowd goes quiet at the worst time. Girl freezes on the spot.

Great.

This is my cue.

_It seems as though my feet are stuck on the ground._

"Excuse me."

_His eyes are still on mine._

"I said excuse me."

_My heart is –_

"You're in the way, woman."

What the hell! I'm being melodramatic here!

As I turn around, my emerald eyes met annoyed jade ones.

_My saviour!_

"Huh?" I said. Smart, Haruno.

"You're in the way, woman," the redhead said, looking like he is _trying_ to contain his ire. With that ugly crease on his forehead and stiff jaw, he seems ready to yell at me.

Dumbstruck and a little scared, I mumble a quick apology and move out of his way. He walked towards the cafeteria line, leaving me standing alone again at the entrance. The students forgot the Uchiha-Haruno issue and the noise picked up from where it left.

Finding myself again, I move towards the same line.

It's been years since the Uchiha and I broke up. Years since he told me that he just can't keep up with the difference in our schedules.

Actually, I spent 2 years, 7 months, 14 days, 28 hours pinning for the love that left me. Okay, so I have an issue with numbers. Big deal.

All in all, it's been a long time.

I take my order from the nice lunch lady who knew about my relationship with the Uchiha and she gave me a smile that made my day a little bit better.

While carrying my tray, I scanned the area for a place to sit. Unfortunately, all seats were occupied and the available ones are on Sasuke's table and the redhead that got annoyed at me earlier.

Why am I not surprised?

I refuse to sit at the "lovers" table even though Sasuke and I kinda (I think) had a "decent" break up (if you think breaking up with my Blackberry is decent).

So I made my way over to redhead, who sits alone and _conveniently_, might I add, in the middle of the room.

As soon as I got to his table, my mouth opens to ask permission. Suddenly, he stares at me and the seat opposite him and says, "Go ahead."

I quietly sit in the chair and start to eat my lunch. Since the redhead was busy eating, I took some time to observe him. It was then that I start to notice how attractive he really was.

He is handsome enough to make girls fall to their feet.

He also has some kind of tattoo on the left side of his forehead.

_LOVE._

Well, that's _weird._

It's weird to see the word _LOVE _tattooed on a _man_'s forehead when said man looks like he doesn't know what it is.

With his narrowed eyes, creased forehead, dark aura and – Oh, shit. He caught me looking!

What to do, what to do, what to do...

"Um, sorry again. About earlier. I didn't mean to block your way. I was... distracted," I lamely supplied.

He seems to accept this as he returns his attention to his lunch. He said something but I didn't quite catch it.

"Pardon?"

The redhead sighed in irritation and said, "It's okay."

Hearing that from him lessened the tension around our shared table. Finally, I decided to give him my last peace offering.

"By the way, my name is Sakura. Haruno Sakura. How about you?"

After contemplating something in his head, he answers, "Gaara. Just Gaara."

Feeling that all was well (and that I didn't have anything stuck between my teeth), I gave him my best blindingly bright Haruno smile.

* * *

After 2 years, 7 months, 14 days, 28 hours, 4 minutes – _and a glimpse of those intense jade eyes_ - maybe, just maybe, it's time for me to move on.

* * *

AN: had some trouble with the line thingy. Eff. So... What do you think? Lame? Boring?

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